


Maggy Martinsson and The Hot Dad

by missdibley



Series: The Hallow Crown [4]
Category: British Actor RPF, Magnus Martinsson - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Wallander (UK TV), Wallander (UK TV) RPF, Wallander - All Media Types
Genre: Existing Relationship, F/M, Family Friendly, Halloween, Middle School, Popularity, fort snuggums, halloween party, the hallow crown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8472016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: Eleven year old Maggy Martinsson is surprised when she’s singled out by a popular older girl at school.





	

The note was waiting for Maggy when she collected her cell phone from the office at the end of the day, a purple square of paper wrapped around the phone with a green rubber band. It read:

> 29 October 2027  
>  To: Magnolia B. Martinsson, Class VI  
>  From: Mrs. Ida Saville-Boyer, Office of the Head of the Middle School  
>  Re: Dismissal today
> 
> Your father will be picking you up today after last period. Please meet him outside the Clark Street entrance at 3:30 pm.

Maggy shoved the note into her backpack, somewhere in between a copy of _A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver_ and a pair of shin guards that were in desperate need of a wash, and headed to the main door. Her shoulders tightened as her annoyance grew.

She didn’t want a ride. She didn’t need a ride. Only babies like her little brother Håkan, who was three and in nursery school, got rides. Girls at Maggy’s school rode the bus, the most popular ones sprawled casually all over the seats way in the back. It was there that they flirted with the boys from their brother school, which sat just across the street.

Maggy wasn’t unpopular, exactly, but she may as well have been invisible. Her seat on the bus was almost always up front, trapped between old people and their rickety shopping carts. She could never catch the eye of somebody prettier and cooler who would wave her to the back.

With black hair that was too frizzy to be curly like her father’s, and lacking her mother’s graceful, gentle manner, there was nothing special about Maggy. She was funny, but nobody in sixth grade wanted to be the class clown as much as they wanted to be the prettiest, the smartest, or the best at field hockey. She was ordinary, boring. How could she distinguish herself from the other 49 girls in her grade?

Now standing in the driveway, looking up every so often to yell goodbye to classmates as they left, Maggy fidgeted while she texted with her father.

_Maggy: daddy dont come_

**Magnus: nearly there - just getting yr brother**

_Maggy: ill get bus_

**Magnus: why - take it monday**

_Maggy: but I want 2 take it 2day_

**Magnus: why**

_Maggy: just do_

**Magnus: not a reason**

_Maggy: yes it is_

**Magnus: it isnt**

_Maggy: yes_

**Magnus: no**

_Maggy: daddy_

**Magnus: around the corner**

_Maggy: bus is almost here_

**Magnus: if you get on that bus**

_Maggy: DAD_

**Magnus: STAY THERE**

Maggy’s cheeks were hot as she shoved her phone back in her pocket. When she looked up, Susan Darth was peering at her.

Susan was an eighth grader, tall and skinny with fine blond hair down to the middle of her back. Everybody knew she spent the summer in Japan modeling. She always got to sit at the back of the bus, usually on the lap of her boyfriend. So what was she doing looking at Maggy?

The older girl arched a thin, plucked eyebrow as she stared down her long nose. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Maggy nodded quickly. “Yes. Fine. Thanks, Susan.”

“Okay.” Susan looked over her shoulder, where the Armitage Avenue bus was slowly but steadily making its way to the stop. “You coming? Should I ask the driver to wait?”

Maggy felt her stomach drop. The coolest girl in middle school was asking her if she should hold the bus. And instead of saying sure, coolly tossing her suddenly silky hair, and joining Susan on the bus where she was sure they would become best friends forever, Maggy shook her head.

“No. I’m getting a ride.” She pouted. “From my dad.”

“MAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”

The gleeful shout of Maggy’s three year old brother Håkan pierced the air as he ran along the sidewalk before flinging himself at his sister’s feet. His round cheeks were rosy, and his grip around his sister's ankles was firm.

“Hake!” Maggy loved her brother, but at this moment she was trying to focus on being cool enough for Susan, and he was not helping.

“HI!” Håkan got up, grabbed the hem of Maggy’s skirt, then examined Susan as she stood in front of them. “Who are you?”

“Uh, I’m Susan Darth.” She gave him a tentative smile. “What’s your name?”

“Magnus Håkan Martinsson.” He pronounced his full name carefully and proudly, then puffed his chest out.

“That’s quite a name,” replied Susan.

“I know it.” Håkan squinted up at Susan. “You know what?”

Maggy rolled her eyes. _He’s going to say ‘chicken butt’, I just know it,_ she thought.

Susan shrugged. “What?”

Håkan looked serious. “You have big boobs.”

Susan choked back an awkward laugh, adjusting the front of her sweater as she did so. Maggy wondered if she could simply die of embarrassment. Before she started looking for something to stab herself with, Håkan let go of her skirt and ran to their father, who was walking up to join them.

Magnus’s blue-green eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun, and if he was cross after the text exchange with his daughter, his face didn’t show it. He wore a dark blue quilted jacket over his typical uniform of a blue button-down shirt, dark jeans, and gray suede ankle boots. His aviator sunglasses were hooked over the collar of his shirt, hanging just at the base of his neck. The same old thing he always wore. Maggy scowled when she saw that he had a few stray curls at his temples, indicating the need for a haircut.

Magnus put his arm around Maggy before kissing the top of her head. “Hello, _duva_.” He grinned at Susan, who could only stare back at him. “Oh. Are you a friend of Maggy’s?”

“Um…” Maggy looked unsure as she peered at Susan.

“Yes!” Susan stood up straight, and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. “Yes! Yes, I am. I am totally a friend of Maggy’s.” She gave Magnus her most winning smile.

“You are?” Maggy said, almost to herself, her eyes flicking up at the older girl. She frowned in confusion. _Why does she look so perky all of a sudden?_

“I thought I knew all the girls in the sixth grade. You must be new.” Magnus looked pleased.

“No,” said Maggy, shaking her head. “Susan’s in eighth.”

“But I got held back a year in lower school, so I’m _practically_ in ninth grade,” said Susan, her voice cracking a bit as she lowered it. Leaning in, she brought her hand up so she could brush her fingers against Magnus’s sleeve. She looked up with a shy smile.

“My dad has this jacket. Looks nicer on you,” she said primly.

Magnus coughed. “Susan, can we drop you somewhere?”

“Can we?” Maggy looked at Susan curiously. “We live in Bucktown.”

“No,” Susan said, her voice tinged with regret. “I live north, in Lincoln Square.”

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Susan.” Magnus nodded at Maggy before taking Håkan’s hand in his. “Meet you at the car.”

Maggy looked at Susan. “Sorry about my brother. He’s, like, a _total_ pain.”

“It’s okay,” the older girl replied, gazing at Magnus and Håkan as they walked back to the car parked at the curb. “So that’s your dad?”

“Yeah,” said Maggy.

“He seems cool,” Susan said nonchalantly.

“Really?” Maggy looked askance at Magnus, who was tickling Håkan as he helped the boy into his carseat. She returned her gaze to Susan, not noticing the coy look on her new friend’s face. “He’s so not, though.”

Susan shrugged, and the blank expression returned to her face.

“Um, but…” Maggy went for it. “We have a Halloween party, my family. At my house?” Maggy scrambled for her phone. “If you want, I can text you the address. It’s tomorrow night. I invited my class.”

“Your entire class?” Susan’s brow furrowed.

“Yeah, my dad made me.” Maggy rolled her eyes. “So lame.”

“Oh! I know!” Susan shook her head, then carefully brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “But, uh, will your dad be there?”

Maggy nodded. “Yeah, but he’ll be out of the way!”

Susan nodded. “Costumes?”

“Of course!” Maggy perked up. “Mine is so neat! I’m gonna be…”

“Great!” Susan cut her off. “There’s another bus. Gotta go. I’ll get your address from the student directory. Martinsson, right?”

“Yes, with two S’s.”

“Cool.” Susan winked at Maggy. “See you tomorrow, Margie!”

Maggy practically floated back to the car, slipping easily into the passenger seat. Once her door was closed, she rolled down her window and stuck her head out

“Bye, Susan!” Maggy yelled, a bit impetuously. The other girls still hanging out in front of the school looked impressed when Susan limply waved back.

Magnus started the car and pulled away from the curb. When the car came to stop at a light, he glanced at Maggy. “So what happened before? When we were texting?”

She shook her head. “It was nothing.” She looked chastened. “Sorry, Daddy.”

Magnus looked at her tenderly. “It’s okay.”

“Really?”

Magnus nodded. “I know you wouldn’t have gotten on that bus.”

“So does that mean we’re cool?” Maggy smiled up at him.

“Well,” Magnus said with a grin. “I’ve always been cool.”

“Okay, _Dad,”_ said Maggy with a smirk. When she laughed, Håkan joined her.

Magnus sniffed. “Yes, it is true. And so have you. But that Susan…” He frowned. “Why haven’t we met her yet?”

“Daddy!” Maggy’s dream of sitting with the eighth graders at lunch, going to parties where there were actual boys, was beginning to fade. “That’s not fair! You don’t even know her.”

“What’s not fair? I’m just asking. But _duva,_ I’m not sure you know her so well yourself.” Magnus sounded concerned.

“What do you mean?” Maggy sounded alarmed.

“Isn’t she a bit old to be friends with a sixth grader?”

“She could be like the cool older sister I never had!”

“What’s wrong with Aunt Helen?” Magnus inquired.

“Nothing, but Aunt Helen is cool but like in a ‘mom’ sort of way,” Maggy said patiently. “She and Uncle Oakley are in London. I need a cool, older friend who lives _here_.”

“Fine,” said Magnus, dropping the subject for the time being. “Excited for the party?”

Maggy nodded. “Yes. I invited Susan.” She looked out the window and bit her lip.

“Fine. Do we need to call her parents, let them know what time to pick her up after? We should invite them, actually.”

“Da-ad!” Maggy whipped around, an appalled look on her face. “She’s in the eighth grade, you can’t just do that!”

“But we did it for all of your other guests, Maggy,” Magnus pointed out.

“They’re in the sixth grade, Daddy. You had to call their parents.”

“Yes, and while Susan is older she is still a child…”

“She’s practically in high school!”

“... and we still need to make sure she has a safe ride home at the end of the evening!”

“Dad!”

“Maggy!”

“DADDEE!” Håkan yelled. He threw an animal cracker at Maggy. “MAGGEEEEE! SHUDDUP.”

“Dad! Make him stop!”

“Håkan, don’t throw that!”

“Daddy stop yelling! Maggy stop yelling!”

“Fine!” Maggy huffed.

Magnus kept quiet.

“I don’t like her!” Håkan volunteered from the back seat.

“Who asked you?” Maggy asked accusingly.

“Maggy!” Magnus looked in the rear view mirror. “Why don’t you like her, Håkan?”

“She has a yucky voice.” Håkan shook his head. “I didn’t like the way she talked.”

“How did she talk to you?!” Maggy looked at her brother incredulously.

“Bossy. Like a grown-up. But she’s not.” Håkan pulled a face.

* * *

The next morning was dreary and cold, so Maggy woke up to find Moomin their dog curled up at her feet, and Håkan asleep next to her, drooling on the pillow. Both dog and boy protested when Maggy tried to wake them, stirring only when the smell of pancakes wafted up the stairs. She felt a bit sour, but pancakes and bacon, and the promise of the one miniscule cup of coffee she was allowed to drink on Saturday mornings, lightened her mood.

The night before, her father tried to smooth things over by ordering a pizza for supper, and not making Maggy share her fried mushrooms with her brother. Håkan got to stay up late, the three of them watching _The Revengers_ , a favorite movie of her mother because it featured Halla’s celebrity crush, Samuel Longfellow. But Maggy still felt cross about the business with Susan.

It was not that Maggy and Magnus didn’t get along but this always seemed to happen when her mother was away. Things were just a little off when she wasn’t there. Maggy wouldn’t say that she missed her mother, exactly, but it was more like Halla understood faster when Maggy needed or wanted something important. And once her mother got it, so did her father. Halla could always make him understand.

Halla was out of town, on one of her business trips. She never left for more than a couple of days, and she was always back by Friday night. But not on this day, the day of their Halloween party, a Martinsson family tradition.

“Magnolia, please listen to your father, okay?”

Maggy scowled, holding her phone to her ear as she watched Magnus and Håkan bake the last of the Wensley cakes for the party. The house was decorated, festooned with orange and black streamers, miniature pumpkins, and tea lights waiting to be lit. Candy and all manner of salty snacks for Maggy and her friends were already down in the basement, while up in the dining room Magnus had begun to set out olives and nuts for the adults. Moomin sniffed the air, begging for any scrap of meat or dollop of batter that might make its way to the floor. When Maggy left the kitchen so she could pace around the dining room table, the little dog followed her.

“But he’s being unfair!” Maggy poked her finger in a bowl of cashews.

“Because he asked about this Susan?” Halla sighed. “He just wanted to know more about her, dove.”

“He can get to know her at the party.”

“Are her parents coming? Did he invite them?”

“I don’t know,” Maggy confessed. “I, I forgot to tell her they could.”

“Well, if you want, me or Daddy can call them,” offered Halla. “Though knowing your father, he’s probably already done that. _And_ looked up their FBI file.”

“Oh god…” whined Maggy.

“Mags, it will be fine. Your friends will be in the basement, Daddy and our friends will be upstairs.”

“But you won’t be here,” Maggy said.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Halla replied. “The weather in Chicago, and it’s windy here in New York. I’m doing the best I can.”

“I know,” whispered Maggy. “Mom?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“When you get on one, have a safe flight, okay?”

“I will,” said Halla.

Maggy thought she could hear a hitch in her mother’s voice. “You wanna talk to Daddy? He’s making the last cake.”

“I’ll call him on his phone later. Are you going to rest?”

“No, I still need to work on my costume. But I’ll make sure Hake takes a nap, or lies down anyway.”

“That’s my girl,” said Halla sweetly. “I love you.”

“Same,” said Maggy with a sigh.

“Are you ever going to stop saying that?” Halla teased.

Maggy grinned. “Nope.”

* * *

“Hi Mr. Martinsson! Bye Mr. Martinsson!”

Katy had been the first of Maggy’s classmates to arrive, blowing past Magnus at the front door so she could grab her best friend’s hand and drag her down to the basement.

“Was I dreaming last night?” Katy adjusted her black and white cape. Her black and white wig was crooked, but her devil red lipstick was perfectly applied, matching the flush in her cheeks. “When we were texting last night. Is it true?”

Maggy frowned in confusion. “Is what true?”

“Is what true?!” Katy shrieked. “Susan! Is Susan Darth really coming to your party?”

Maggy nodded slowly, a bashful grin on her face.

“OH MY GOD!” Katy saw Håkan out of the corner of her eye as he, dressed in a kangaroo costume that was missing its hood, rolled two small trucks on the floor. “Hake! Your sister’s going to be famous!”

Håkan continued to play. “Like Elmo?”

“Better than Elmo!” Katy grabbed Maggy’s hands. “An eighth grader! And not just any eighth grader but Susan Darth!”

“Darth!” Håkan parroted Katy with a giggle. “Farth! FART!”

“Hake, go away!” Maggy leaned in close to Katy. “I know! Maybe she’ll bring her friends!”

Katy’s eyes grew wide. “What if she brings... her boyfriend?!”

The two girls screamed, only settling down when Magnus yelled down the stairs about the noise.

“I think he smokes,” mused Maggy. “What if he wants to do that here?”

“Are you kidding?” Katy looked up at the ceiling. “Your dad would have him out of here so fast…”

Maggy thought. “Maybe he can go in the alley…”

“You make it sound like he needs a special place to pee.” Katy giggled.

“Should we go upstairs and wait?” “No, that’s stupid!” “I bet she brings that boy!” “Do you think she’ll dress up?” “Is Susan Darth really coming?” “Did you invite any other eighth graders?” “Maggy, what is that costume?”

They were interrupted by the sound of more girls coming down the stairs, all of them screaming in delight as they inspected each other’s costumes. When Maggy looked at Katy, her best friend shrugged.

“I may have told a few people about Susan,” said Katy sheepishly.

“A few people?” Maggy cried.

“Well, it wasn’t a secret exactly, was it?” Katy gasped.

The two dozen or so girls spent an hour, then two, gossiping and squealing in anticipation. Håkan escaped their clutches, for little brothers with curly hair and round cheeks could only be hugged and exclaimed over for so long, and had long ago found refuge under the dining room table with the dog.

“Are you sure she’s actually coming?” Vanessa Nolan, wearing a tweed cape and deerstalker hat as Sherlock Holmes, sounded doubtful.

“Yeah!” Vanessa’s sidekick Shelagh Vincent stood up, wobbling just a bit under the weight of the dragon wings on her back. “Did you actually invite her?”

“And did you hear her say yes?” Vanessa arched an eyebrow, and the room fell silent.

“Yes, yes she did,” replied Maggy.

“But what did she say? How did she say it?” Shelagh narrowed her eyes.

“She said cool. That’s what she said.” Maggy nodded, then frowned. “And then she called me Margie.”

Katy shook her head. “Oh no…” Before Vanessa and Shelagh could instigate a riot, the boom of Magnus’ voice sounded down the stairs.

“Maggy! Someone here to see you!”

“Oooh!” All the girls cooed as one, then collapsed in a fit of giggles on the couch or on beanbags on the floor.

“Shut up you guys!” Maggy said indignantly. She adjusted her dalmatian costume, then clapped her hands.

“I’m coming with you,” Katy declared.

“No! Why?” Maggy waved her hands, attempting to shoo her best friend away.

“What’s a dalmatian without her Cruella De Vil?” Katy tugged on one of Maggy’s dog ears. “Besides, if Susan Darth is coming to my best friend’s party, I want to be there when she makes her grand entrance.”

At the top of the stairs, Magnus jerked his head at the door and grinned. “Look who’s here!”

Maggy turned her head, expecting to see Susan and her infamous boyfriend or her friends standing there. She in turn would nod coolly, then bring her very important guests down to the basement, where the majority of Maggy’s class waited. It was going to be perfect.

Instead, standing in the doorway, kicking off a pair of wet boots as she hung up her raincoat, was Maggy’s mother Halla. She shut the door behind her and strode in, standing in the foyer in her stocking feet as she drew her daughter into her arms.

“Maggy!” Halla kissed the top of her head. “I made it!”

“You did,” Maggy said, trying not to sound disappointed. “Hi, Mom.”

“What’s wrong?” Halla cupped Maggy’s face in her hands. “You okay?”

“Susan’s not here yet,” she admitted.

“It’s okay, sweetie.” She squeezed her daughter tight. “She’ll come. I’m sure of it.” Halla winked at Katy. “Hi, Katy. Your parents here?”

Katy nodded. “Yeah. I think they’re in the kitchen.”

Halla smiled,then released Maggy. “I’m going to go say hello to them, alright?”

Maggy and Katy went to the door, Maggy resting her hand on the knob and looked down, avoiding Katy’s gaze.

“What if she bails?” Maggy pressed her forehead to the pane of frosted glass. “Then I’m a liar.”

Katy shook her head. “No. Susan’s the liar if she doesn’t turn up.”

“I know you’re right but…”

The two girls jerked when they were interrupted by three hard knocks. They took a few steps back, and Maggy opened the door.

Susan Darth stood on the welcome mat, her blond hair tumbling over one naked shoulder. Her lips were bright red, matching her red patent boots. Despite the cold, she wore a gold halter top and hot pants that showed off her long, thin legs. Standing behind her were two more eighth grade girls, the sight of whom nearly made Maggy feel nervous. Bryce Snow waved at some dissolving smoke in her face, then adjusted the “sexy” Cubs uniform she wore. Maddy Dallas looked bored but beautiful in her “sexy” ballerina costume.

“Margie!” Susan smiled, revealing large white teeth. “Hope you don’t mind, I brought Maddy and Bryce with me.”

“Yes! Ohmygod of course. Thank you for coming! I love your costume!” Maggy stood in awe as Susan and the girls came in, following them into the foyer after Katy shut the door behind them. “What… I mean, who are you?’

“Oh, I’m a prostitute. But like, a French one? From the movies?” Susan looked down at Maggy and Katy. “What are you?”

“Cruella De Vil and a dalmatian!” Katy said brightly. “Do you want to come downstairs? Everybody’s down there!”

“Um, sure.” Susan held up a bottle. “Is your dad here? My mom said it’s rude to come to somebody’s house without something for the host?”

“Is that wine?” Katy looked to Maggy. “Real wine?” She didn’t notice Bryce mouthing “real wine” to Maddy, who stifled a laugh.

“Yes, yes it is…” Susan adjusted the front of her halter top, then looked around the room. She froze. “Oh. There’s your dad.” The wide smile that had been on her face disappeared, her lips disappearing into a thin red line. "That must be your mom.”

Maggy followed her gaze, and was horrified to find her father and mother kissing in the middle of the living room. In the middle of the party, in front of everybody.

And it wasn’t just kissing but full on making out. Halla stood up on tiptoe, and the grip she had on the curls at the nape of Magnus’s neck tightened when he drew her closer into him. When Halla laughed, Magnus broke the kiss reluctantly. He whispered into his wife’s ear, then kissed her hand.

“Hello!” Halla held out a hand when she and Magnus joined their daughter. “You must be Susan. I’m so glad you girls could join us.”

“Um, yeah.” Susan held the wine out, moving out the way when Bryce tried to elbow her. “I’m sorry, but it turns out we can’t stay after all. My mom gave this to me to give to you.”

“Oh?” Halla took the bottle, a look of surprise on her face when she saw it was wine. “Well, thank you for this gift. I’m sorry you can’t stay. Can we get you something to eat before you go?”

Susan shook her head, then looked at Maggy. “Sorry, Margie. But I just remembered a thing. I have another, um, thing. Enjoy your little party.” Spinning on her heel, she stalked out, with the giggling Bryce and Maddy not far behind.

Maggy didn’t say anything, or look at anybody for the moment right after Susan and her squad had gone. She felt silly, like a dumb kid, and ashamed.

“Maggy?”

She looked up at the sound of her mother’s voice. Halla smiled kindly.

“Yeah, Mama?’

“Sorry about that. We know you were excited about her coming.”

“Yes, _duva_ ,” said Magnus. “I hope it wasn’t anything we did.”

All at once, tears sprung to Maggy’s eyes. She didn’t have have to run to her parents for they pulled her into their arms at once.

“Is she… Maggy, are you okay?” Katy sounded worried.

Halla kissed the top of Maggy’s head. “You okay, baby?”

Maggy nodded but said nothing.

Magnus looked at Katy. “Why don’t you go downstairs? Maggy will be along.”

Katy reached out and squeezed Maggy’s shoulder, then did as she was told.

Maggy spoke, her voice muffled as her face was still pressed into her father’s chest.

“What was that, sweetheart?” Halla began to stroke Maggy’s hair.

“I’m sorry,” Maggy said quietly. “She wasn’t very nice, was she?”

“Well, she didn’t have much time. She had to go. it’s a busy night. Lots of parties.” Magnus sounded thoughtful.

“And she brought us that gift,” said Halla. “That was nice.”

Maggy nodded. “But she didn’t stay. And now I have to go downstairs and tell everybody.”

“Well, Maggy, they’re your friends, right?” When Maggy nodded, Halla continued. “They’ll understand when you tell them. You’ll see.”

“Besides, it’s entirely possible that they already know,” said Magnus. “Katy’s probably told everybody here including Moomin about the amazing Susan and her, um, entourage.”

Maggy rolled her eyes. “Da-ad!”

“Ma-aggy!” Magnus kissed her on the temple. “Now go downstairs and eat all of your candy. It’s not Halloween if you and your brother don’t get hungover from sugar.”

“Yes, Father.” Maggy made a small bow, giggling as she did, then returned to her friends.

Watching her go, Magnus took Halla in his arms. He rested his cheek on top of her head and hummed in contentment.

“Looks like I’ve got some competition,” Halla quipped.

Magnus groaned. “She’s a child!”

“This is true, and she’s only two years older than Maggy.”

“Three years.”

“Ah.” Halla bit her lip, then snorted.

“What is it, _käraste_?”

 _“Margie?”_ She looked up at Magnus. “That little brat called our daughter Margie!”

“Maybe it’s memory loss,” Magnus said.

“From all that wine drinking maybe?”

“Halla! Be nice!”

She held a hand up to her chest, feigning shock. “I am nice! But come on!”

“It was still a nice gesture, bringing us wine, Halla,” Magnus corrected.

“Correction, she brought _you_ wine, baby.” Halla shook her head. “And I didn’t bring you anything.”

“No, no you didn’t.” Magnus growled in her ear. “We’ll discuss that later. In bed.”

“Good,” whispered Halla. She kissed him. “I’m glad.”


End file.
